Method and device for optical analysis of particles at low temperatures

ABSTRACT

Method and device ( 1   b ) for performing the optical analysis of particles ( 2 ) contained in suspension in a fluid ( 3 ) arranged inside a microfluidic device ( 4 ) which maintains it at a temperature significantly lower than the ambient temperature; the formation of humidity on the outer surface ( 8 ) of the cover of the microfluidic device is avoided by applying a thermal flow (F) which determines an increase in the temperature of the outer surface ( 8 ) of the cover to above the condensation temperature (Td), or a reduction in the ambient temperature (and/or humidity) in the vicinity of the cover ( 8 ), so as to bring the condensation temperature (Td) (dew point) to below the temperature of the surface ( 8 ) of the cover determined by the internal operating temperature.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns methods and devices for the manipulationof particles in suspension in a fluid, for example contained inconductive or highly conductive solutions, when optical analysis of themanipulated particles has to be performed at temperatures below ambienttemperature. The invention can be applied mainly in the implementationof biological protocols on live cells.

STATE OF THE ART

The patent application PCT/WO 00/69565 to G. Medoro describes a deviceand a method for the manipulation of particles via the use of closeddielectrophoretic potential cages. The force used to maintain theparticles in suspension or to move them inside the microchamberdissipates, by Joule effect, a power which is proportional to the squareof the amplitude of the voltages applied and grows linearly with theincrease in the electrical conductivity of the liquid in suspension,causing an uncontrolled increase in temperature inside the microchamber.The manipulation operations can be individually controlled by theprogramming of memory elements and circuits associated with each elementof an array of electrodes integrated in the same substrate; saidcircuits contribute to the temperature increase, dissipating power inthe substrate in direct contact with the suspension liquid. This resultsin an important limitation due to the variation in the gene expressionor to high levels of stress or to the death of the biological particlespresent in the sample for solutions with high electrical conductivity,limiting the application of these methods and devices to the use ofbeads or non-live cells.

The limitations of the known art are overcome by the patent applicationEP1945368 in the name of the same Applicant, which allows themanipulation of biological particles by means of the technique describedin PCT/WO 00/69565 (or by means of other techniques that develop heat)preserving the vitality and biological functions of the cellsindependently of the forces used and/or the conductivity of the liquidin suspension, therefore allowing the manipulation of live cells.

However, numerous applications require the suspension liquid and/or allthe interior of the microchamber to be maintained, during themanipulation procedure, at temperatures far below the ambienttemperature, for example at temperatures below 10° C. and, morefrequently, between 3 and 5° C., for example 4° C.

At such low temperatures ambient humidity condenses on the outer surfaceof the microchamber cover, which is made of transparent material inorder to permit observation and optical analysis of the cells insuspension, either by means of devices or sensors outside themicrochamber, for example an optical microscope, or by means of opticalsensors inside the microchamber, integrated in the substrate, which,however, require adequate external lighting in order to functioncorrectly.

The presence of condensed humidity on the microchamber cover causes bothblurring of the image that can be acquired from the outside andalteration in the passage of the external light, preventing correctperformance of the analysis protocols, unless non-optical internalsensors are relied upon completely, for example impedentiometricsensors, but this is not always possible or convenient.

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a method and device for performing theoptical analysis of particles contained in suspension in a fluid,typically a liquid, arranged inside a microfluidic device whichmaintains it at a temperature significantly lower than the ambienttemperature and such as to trigger phenomena of condensation on theouter surface of the microfluidic device. Typically, the microfluidicdevice serves to perform manipulation and/or control of the position ofthe particles, for example by means of electrical force fields inelectrically conductive solutions, and more generally by means of anyother system, in conditions that simultaneously require a relatively lowoperating temperature and performance of an optical analysis of theposition and/or appearance of the manipulated particles, or for thedetection of morphological parameters or for the quantification offluorescence intensity. The force fields can be dielectrophoresis(positive or negative), magnetophoresis, electrophoresis,electrohydro-dynamic or electrowetting on dielectric, or combinations ofthese phenomena, characterised by a set of points of stable equilibriumfor the particles. Optical tweezers can also be used.

The main aspect of the invention concerns prevention of the condensationof humidity on the outer surface of the cover of a microfluidic deviceoperating with a relatively low internal temperature either by increasein the temperature of the outer surface of the cover to above thecondensation temperature (dew point), or by lowering the temperatureand/or ambient humidity in the vicinity of the cover of the microfluidicdevice, so as to bring the condensation temperature (dew point) to belowthe internal operating temperature of the microfluidic device.

For said purpose, the system can benefit from the use of one or moreintegrated or external sensors for control of the temperature and, ifnecessary, of the ambient humidity and temperature of the outer surfaceof the cover by means of a feedback control.

The invention furthermore allows the use of external optical systems ofthe transmission type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate schematically in longitudinal section twodifferent embodiments of a microfluidic device which implements a firstembodiment of the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically an overhead plan view of an embodimentof the microfluidic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically on an enlarged scale a vertical sectionof the microfluidic device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the variation in dew point according to thehumidity and temperature of the air;

FIG. 5 illustrates schematically in longitudinal section a microfluidicdevice which implements a second embodiment of the method of theinvention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the variation in temperature of theupper surface of the microfluidic device of FIG. 2 on the basis of thevariation of some operating parameters.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE

Hereinbelow, the term particles will be used to indicate micrometric ornanometric entities, natural or artificial, such as cells, subcellularcomponents, viruses, liposomes, niosomes, microbeads and nanobeads, oralso smaller entities such as macro-molecules, proteins, DNA, RNA, etc.,also drops of liquid immiscible in the suspension medium, for exampleoil in water, or water in oil, or also drops of liquid in gas (such aswater in air) or bubbles of gas in liquid (such as air in water).

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a devicefor the optical analysis of particles at temperatures below ambienttemperature and, in particular, at relatively low temperatures (3-6°C.), the particles being maintained in suspension in a fluid, typicallya liquid, arranged inside a microfluidic device, which also allowsmanipulation of the particles.

By manipulation we mean control of the position of single particles orgroups of particles or the movement in space of said particles or groupsof particles.

Said manipulation can be performed by any means integrated in the deviceaccording to the invention or interacting with it from the outside.Typically the manipulation is performed by means of an array ofelectrodes, which can be selectively activated and addressed, integratedin a substrate and facing one single counter-electrode which also actsas a cover of the microchamber, according to the description in PCT/WO00/69565, the content of which is incorporated herein for the necessaryparts.

With reference to the FIGS. 1A,B and 2, the reference number 1 a,respectively 1 b, indicates a device for performing optical analysis ofparticles 2 contained in suspension in a fluid 3, typically a liquid,capable of operating by maintaining the particles 2 and the liquid 3 attemperatures below ambient temperature and, in particular, near to zerodegrees centigrade, typically temperatures between 3 and 6° C. andpreferably at a temperature of approximately 4° C.

The device 1 a, 1 b comprises, according to the outlined schematicsketches illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, where similar or identicaldetails are indicated by the same reference numbers for the sake ofsimplicity, at least one microchamber 4 containing in use the fluid 3and delimited between a first surface 5 and a second surface 6; andcooling means, indicated overall by 7, thermally coupled with thesurface 5 by means of a first thermal resistance RLW.

By the term “microchamber” we mean here and below a chamber suitable forcontaining a small volume of fluid 3, typically between 1 nanolitre and5000 microlitres, and preferably between 1 microlitre and 100microlitres and having one of its three dimensions measuring less than 1mm.

The device 1 furthermore comprises a thermal inspection surface 8thermally coupled with the surface 6 via a second thermal resistanceRHI.

The cooling means 7 can be of any appropriate type adapted to subtractheat from the microchamber 4 while the device 1 a/1 b is operative andperforms manipulation of the particles 2, in a quantity such as tomaintain the fluid 3 at a first pre-set temperature T1, below theambient temperature, as already indicated typically 4° C.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1B, the cooling means 7 consist of aplate 10 arranged in contact with the thermal resistance RLW and inwhich one or more Peltier cells 11 are integrated (only one of which isshown only schematically, since it is known per se) controlled by adevice 12 for controlling the internal temperature of the chamber 4,only schematically represented by a block.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1A, on the other hand, the coolingmeans 7 consist of a second microchamber 10 c, in which a flow ofcoolant 11 c runs, in contact with the thermal resistance RLW; saidcoolant is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1A and is circulated in aclosed circuit from which the heat removed from the microchamber 4through the surface 5 is continuously eliminated by means of a pump 12 ccoupled with a Peltier cell, 13 c, indicated schematically by a block.

With reference also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the thermal resistance RLWconsists of a flat sheet 14, for example a quartz sheet, transparent ifnecessary, a first upper face of which consists of the surface 5 and asecond lower face of which consists of a surface 15 arranged in contactwith the plate 10; the thermal resistance RHI consists of a flat sheet16, necessarily made of a transparent material, for example consistingof a sheet of mineral glass or quartz, a first face of which, facing theside opposite the microchamber 4, constitutes the optical inspectionsurface 8, and a second face of which, opposite the first face,constitutes the surface 6.

The two sheets 14,16 are arranged facing and are separated from eachother by a perimeter spacer 18 (indicated schematically only by a linein FIG. 1), which delimits together with the sheets 14,16 the innervolume of the microchamber 4. Either the latter, or the whole unitconsisting of the sheets 14,16 and the spacer 18, rests on a base 19(FIG. 3).

The device 1 a/1 b according to the invention also comprises electronicmeans for manipulating the particles 2 before, during and after opticalanalysis of the same.

If dielectrophoresis potential cages, as described in WO 00/69565, areused to manipulate the particles 2, the surface 5 constitutes thesubstrate which supports an array 100 of microelectrodes, while thesurface 6 is entirely coated by an ITO layer 101, which constitutes thecounter-electrode. In addition to the microelectrodes of the array 100,one or more optical sensors can be integrated in the substrate to detectany alterations (due for example to the presence of a particle 2) of theambient light which penetrates into the microchamber 4 through thesurface 8. Alternatively or in addition, optical sensors can be providedoutside the microchamber 4, for example consisting of a simplemicroscope 21 of any type, indicated schematically by a block in FIGS.1A and 1B, which observes the inside of the microchamber 4 through thesurface 8. The microscope 21 can identify images and receive any lightreflected from the substrate consisting of the surface 5 for exampleaccording to the trajectories indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1A, 1B.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the second thermalresistance RHI has a thermal conductivity value of at least one order ofmagnitude and, preferably, two orders of magnitude, below that of thefirst thermal resistance RLW; for example, with the materials indicatedabove, the sheet 14 has a conductivity of approximately 150 W/° K·mwhile the sheet 16 has a thermal conductivity of only approximately 1.2W/° K·m.

In combination with this characteristic, the device 1 furthermorecomprises, according to the invention, means 24, indicated schematicallyby a block in FIG. 1, to establish a thermal flow F (indicatedschematically by a double arrow in FIG. 1) at the optical inspectionsurface 8 such that the surface 8 is constantly maintained at atemperature T2 higher than the temperature Td of condensation of theambient humidity (dew point) contained in the air which laps in use theoptical inspection surface 8.

As illustrated in the diagram of FIG. 4, the temperature Td can beeasily calculated according to the temperature of the ambient air andthe amount of humidity present in the ambient air. For mean valuesusually found in a laboratory (23° C. and 50% humidity), the temperatureTd is approximately 12° C. It is evident that since the temperature T1in the microchamber 4 is approximately 4° C., the temperature of thesurface 8 would inevitably reach, in use, by conduction, a temperaturelower than Td, producing blurring of the surface 8.

This phenomenon is avoided according to the invention by the combinationof an appropriate choice of the ratio between the thermal conductivitiesof the thermal resistances RLW and RHI and the simultaneous presence ofthe means 20. This combination surprisingly allows, on the one hand, aswill be seen, a temperature T2 of the surface 8 to be maintained alwayshigher than the temperature Td of the air that laps in use the surface8, so as to avoid and/or eliminate blurring of the surface 8 when thetemperature T1 inside the microchamber 4 is very low. On the other hand,possible heating of the fluid 3 is avoided or at least limited. In factit has been experimentally shown that even if a “hot” thermal flowreaches the microchamber 4, any increase in the temperature T1 can beeasily avoided by lowering the temperature set by the control unit 12 onthe Peltier cell 11 without triggering undesired convective motionsinside the microchamber 4.

According to a first possible embodiment of the invention, the device 1b (or 1 a) comprises means 24 b (FIGS. 2,3) to heat the opticalinspection surface 8 to above the dew point of the ambient air, or abovethe temperature Td.

Said means 24 b consist in a resistor directly applied integrally in onepiece on the surface 8 of the sheet 16. According to an embodimentexample illustrated only schematically and only partly in FIG. 1, theresistor 24 b consists of a transparent conductive resistive layer 25,for example ITO, applied uniformly over the whole optical inspectionsurface 8.

In a second possible embodiment of the invention, the resistor 24 bconsists of at least one and preferably a plurality of filiformmicroresistors, or wires, 26 applied integrally in one piece to theoptical inspection surface 8, preferably arranged in a comb shape anduniformly spaced from one another.

The filiform microresistors 26 are electrically connected, each at thesame one end thereof, to a distribution frame 27 of the electricalsupply current, consisting of a metal foil in a comb shape, but arrangedopposite the filiform microresistors 26; in other words, respective“teeth” 28 of the comb-shaped metal foil 27 face the side opposite thewires and extend outside the surface 8, being arranged on one edge 29 ofthe device 1 outside the operating area consisting of the microchamber4.

The frame 27 receives the electrical supply current through the “teeth”28, by means of a plurality of conductor bridges 30 which connect aplurality of different points of the frame 27, consisting of the “teeth”28, to at least one common collector 31 arranged at the base element 19of the device 1.

The conductor bridges 30 consist of deformable metal wires bent to formS-shaped frames or forks on the plane of FIG. 3. The electrical supplyof the electrodes and any optical sensors in the substrate that may bepresent on the surface 5 is also provided by bridges 30, using othercollectors 32,33.

To allow the device 1 b (1 a) to operate correctly, i.e. to maintain thetemperature T2 above the temperature Td of the air that laps in use thesurface 8 without excessive heat loss towards the microchamber 4, tomaintain the temperature of the entire surface 8 as uniform as possibleand not interfere with the integrated optical sensors and/or with theexternal sensors, like the microscope 21, the filiform microresistors 26must have a width L (FIG. 3) equal to approximately one tenth of thepitch P (i.e. the spacing) between the same in a direction transverse totheir longitudinal extension. In other words, the L/D ratio must bepreferably equal to 1/10 and in any case be between 1/2 and 1/100.

To improve the performance of the device 1 b (1 a), it preferably alsocomprises means 35 (FIG. 2) to continuously measure in use thetemperature T2 of the surface 8 and means 36 to operate in feedback themeans 24 b to heat the optical inspection surface; for example thetemperature detection means 35 can consist of an electrical resistanceapplied on the surface 8, which varies its resistivity according to thetemperature T2, or of an optical sensor arranged facing the surface 8;in the first case, one of the filiform microresistors 26 can be used asthe electrical resistance, making the appropriate electricalconnections. The means 36 consist of the microprocessor which controlsall the functions of the device 1 b (1 a) or of a dedicatedmicroprocessor, and they interact for example with a power supply unit37 (FIG. 3) which controls the current supplied to the frame 27 via thebridges 30. There must be a large, number of the latter, so that thespacing intervals there between make the temperature on the oppositeside of the sheet 16 substantially uniform.

Observing the parameters indicated, the trend of the temperaturegradient through the thickness of the sheet 16 for different levels ofelectrical power supplied to the wires or “fingers” 26 is the one shownin FIG. 6, which represents the worst scenario, in other words in themiddle of the pitch P, i.e. the temperature at the surface area 8without resistors comprised between two filiform microresistors or“fingers” 26, and in FIG. 7, which shows the best scenario, i.e. thetemperature directly below a microresistor or “finger” 26. Thetemperature gradient that can be maintained through the sheet 16, takingaccount of the heat losses towards the outside, allows a temperaturevery close to T1 to be maintained on the surface 6, while thetemperature T2 on the surface 8 is uniformly higher than the temperatureTd.

For this purpose, and independently of the embodiment of the heatingmeans 24 b, it is also convenient for the thickness of the sheet 16 tobe determined at the project stage using the following formula:

$\begin{matrix}{H_{lid} > {\left( \frac{T_{dp} - T_{0} - {\Delta \; T_{\max}}}{\Delta \; T_{\max}} \right)\left( \frac{\sigma_{lid}}{\sigma_{lid}} \right)H_{C}}} & (1) \\{{\Delta \; T_{\max}} = \left( {T_{buf} - T_{0}} \right)_{\max}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

where H_(lid) and H_(C) are respectively the thickness of the sheetconstituting the cover of the microchamber 4 and the thickness of themicrochamber 4 itself, T_(dp) is the dew point temperature of theambient air, T_(O) is the theoretical operating temperature desiredinside the microchamber 4, T_(buf) coincides with the temperature T1,i.e. it is the temperature of the liquid 3, ΔT_(max) is the maximumincrease in temperature tolerable inside the microchamber 4 with respectto the theoretical operating temperature T_(O), σ_(lid) and σ_(buf) arethe thermal conductivity of the material of the sheet 16 and of theliquid (buffer) 3 respectively.

With reference to FIG. 5, where the details similar or identical tothose already described are indicated by the same numbers, the device 1b comprises heating means 24 c located outside the sheet 16 andconsisting in the example illustrated of a fan 40 and a resistance 41which, controlled by the control unit 36 connected to a sensor 35 of thetemperature T2 of the surface 8 heat the latter, sending to it a flow ofambient air.

On the basis of the description, the invention therefore also concerns amethod for performing the optical analysis of particles 2 contained insuspension in a fluid 3, at temperatures below the ambient temperature,comprising the steps of

i.—arranging the particles 2 in suspension inside at least onemicrochamber 4 containing the fluid 3 in a space delimited between thesurfaces 5 and 6;

ii.—thermally coupling the surface 5, via the thermal resistance RLW,with the cooling means 7 adapted to subtract heat from the fluid 3, andthermally coupling the surface 6, via the thermal resistance RHI, withthe optical inspection surface 8 to be maintained clear;

iii.—bringing the fluid 3 to the temperature T1, lower than the ambienttemperature, by means of the cooling means 7; and

iv.—while the particles 2 are being optically analysed, establishing atthe optical inspection surface 8 a thermal flow F such that the opticalinspection surface 8 is constantly maintained at the temperature T2,higher than the temperature Td of condensation of the ambient humidity(dew point) contained in the air which laps the optical inspectionsurface;

v.—where the thermal resistances RHI and RLW are chosen so that thethermal resistance RHI has a thermal conductivity value preferably atleast one order of magnitude below that of the first thermal resistanceRLW and, in any case, equal to at least half of the thermal conductivityof the thermal resistance RLW.

Typically, the thermal flow F is an input thermal flow, in the sensethat step (iv) is performed by heating the optical inspection surface 8to above the dew point of the ambient air, as previously illustrated.

Heating of the surface 8 can be obtained, preferably, by Joule effect,providing on the same, outside the microchamber 4, a resistor 24 bchosen from the group consisting of: a transparent conductive resistivelayer, for example of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO, or based on nano tubes ofcarbon, or conductive polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)) 25 uniformly applied over the entire optical inspection surface8; a plurality of filiform microresistors 26 applied on the opticalinspection surface 8, arranged in a comb shape, uniformly spaced fromone another transverse to the direction of longitudinal extension of themicrochamber 4.

The filiform microresistors 26 which, according to an embodiment notillustrated for the sake of simplicity, can also be arranged in a gridpattern, or so as to cross one another, are in any case supplied so thatthe current density distribution is uniform; in the case illustrated,using the current distribution frame 27 arranged longitudinallyorthogonal to the filiform microresistors 26, which in turn receives thecurrent by means of a plurality of conductor bridges 30 which connect aplurality of different points 28 of the distribution frame 27, arrangedon the side opposite the filiform microresistors 26, to at least onecommon collector 31.

Alternatively, as has been seen, the optical inspection surface 8 ismaintained at a temperature higher than the dew point by forcing an airflow over the same by forced convection, generated for example by a fan40. Said flow counters the lowering of the temperature of the opticalinspection surface 8 due to the absorption of heat by the cooling systemthrough the liquid in the microchamber 4, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In any case, heating of the optical inspection surface 8 is preferablyfeedback controlled by continuously measuring the current temperature T2of the same, preferably by means of a resistance 35 applied to theoptical inspection surface 8 or by means of an infrared sensor arrangedfacing the optical inspection surface 8.

According to a different embodiment of the invention, however, the step(iv) can be performed equally effectively by cooling a quantity ofambient air immediately surrounding the optical inspection surface 8which laps the same, at a temperature T3 such that the dew point of saidquantity of air becomes lower than the temperature T2 of the opticalinspection surface 8 due to thermal transmission by conduction from andto the microchamber 4 through the thickness of the sheet 16.

A solution of this kind can be implemented by a device 1 b (or 1 a)similar to the one illustrated schematically in FIG. 5, where a fan 40is used to recirculate the same quantity of air present in the vicinityof the surface 8 through a cooling element 41, for example consisting ofa set of Peltier cells all arranged around the sheet 16.

The temperature Td, especially in the implementations previouslydescribed, can be fixed beforehand, taking 12° C. as a fixed estimate,which is the value that occurs in the majority of cases. Vice versa, theactual temperature Td of the ambient air and the cooled air which lapsthe surface 8 due to the action of the fan 40 is calculated, forexample, by detecting both the temperature and ambient humidity, andthose of said cooled air, by means of appropriate sensors 42 connectedto the control unit 36.

Obviously the cooling caused by the set of Peltier cells whichestablishes the required thermal flow F according to the invention canbe used to lower both the temperature and humidity of the ambient air,or only the temperature or only the humidity.

1. A method for optical analysis of particles (2) contained insuspension in a fluid, at temperatures lower than dew point temperature,comprising the steps of: i. arranging the particles in suspension withinat least one microchamber (4) containing said fluid and delimitedbetween a first and a second surface (5,6); ii. thermally coupling thefirst surface (5), by means of a first thermal resistance (RLW), tofirst cooling means (7) adapted to subtract heat from the fluid, andthermally coupling the second surface (6), by means of a second thermalresistance (RHI), to an optical inspection surface (8); iii. bringingsaid fluid to a first temperature (T1), lower than dew pointtemperature, by means of said first cooling means; iv. while theparticles (2) are being optically analysed, establishing at the opticalinspection surface (8) a thermal flow (F) such that the opticalinspection surface is constantly maintained at a second temperature (T2)higher than the dew point temperature (Td) of the ambient humiditycontained in the air which laps on the optical inspection surface (8);said first and second thermal resistances being chosen so that thesecond thermal resistance (RHI) has a thermal conductivity value,preferably, at least one order of magnitude lower than that of the firstthermal resistance (RLW) and, in any case, equal to at least half thethermal conductivity of the first thermal resistance (RLW).
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1, characterized in that step (iv) is carried out byheating the optical inspection surface (8) to above ambient air dewpoint.
 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that theoptical inspection surface is heated by Joule effect, by arranging onthe same, externally to the microchamber (4), a resistor (24 b) chosenfrom the group consisting of: a transparent conductive resistive layer(25), e.g. ITO, applied uniformly on the entire optical inspectionsurface; a plurality of filiform microresistors (26) arranged on theoptical inspection surface, preferably in a comb shape, uniformly spacedfrom one another.
 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized inthat said filiform microresistors (26) are supplied so that the currentdensity distribution is homogenous by using a current distribution frame(27) arranged opposite the filiform microresistors, which in turnreceives current by means of a plurality of conductor bridges (30),which connect a plurality of different points (28) of the distributionframe, arranged on the side opposite the filiform microresistors, to atleast one common collector (31).
 5. A method according to claim 2,characterized in that the optical inspection surface (8) is heated byforcing an air flow over the same.
 6. A method according to claim 1,characterized in that step (iv) is carried out by cooling an amount ofambient air immediately surrounding the optical inspection surface (8)and so lapping the inspection surface at a temperature such that the dewpoint (Td) of said amount of air is lower than said second temperature(T2) of the optical inspection surface.
 7. A method according to claim2, characterized in that the temperature of the optical inspectionsurface is feedback controlled by continuously measuring the instanttemperature (T2) of the optical inspection surface, preferably by meansof a resistor applied to said optical inspection surface (35), or bymeans of an infrared sensor arranged facing the optical inspectionsurface.
 8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that thetemperature (T2) at which to maintain the optical inspection surface iscalculated as a function of the parameters ambient air temperature andambient air humidity, which are continuously detected by means ofappropriate sensors.
 9. An apparatus (1 a, 1 b) for optical analysis ofparticles (2) contained in suspension in a fluid (3), at temperatureslower than dew point temperature, comprising: at least one microchamber(4) containing said fluid and delimited between a first (5) and a second(6) surface; first cooling means (7) which are thermally coupled withthe first surface by means of a first thermal resistance (RLW) and areadapted to subtract heat from the microchamber by an amount such as tomaintain said fluid at a predetermined first temperature (T1), lowerthan the dew point temperature; and an optical inspection surface (8)thermally coupled to the second surface by means of a second thermalresistance (RHI); characterized in that, in combination: the secondthermal resistance (RHI) has a thermal conductivity value, preferably,of at least one order of magnitude, and even more preferably, of twoorders of magnitude lower than that of the first thermal resistance(RLW) and, in all cases, equal to at least half the thermal conductivityof the first thermal resistance (RLW); and the apparatus furthercomprises means (24) for establishing at the optical inspection surface(8), while the apparatus (1 a/1 b) is operative and manipulation and/oroptical analysis of the particles (2) are being performed with it, athermal flow (F) such that the optical inspection surface is constantlymaintained at a second temperature (T2), higher than the dew pointtemperature (Td) of the ambient humidity contained in the air which lapsthe optical inspection surface (8) in use.
 10. An apparatus according toclaim 9, characterized in that it comprises means (24 b; 24 c) forheating the optical inspection surface (8) to above the ambient air dewpoint.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in thatsaid means for heating the optical inspection surface consist of aresistor (24 b) constituted by: a transparent conductive resistive layer(25), e.g. ITO, applied uniformly on the entire optical inspectionsurface; or a plurality of filiform microresistors (26) appliedintegrally in one piece on the optical inspection surface (8) andarranged on the same, preferably in a comb shape, uniformly spaced fromone another.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, characterized inthat said filiform microresistors (26) are electrically connected, eachon the side of the same one end thereof, to a current distribution frame(27) constituted by a metal foil which receives electric current bymeans of a plurality of conductor bridges (30) which connect a pluralityof different points (28) of the distribution frame, arranged on the sideopposite the filiform microresistors, to at least one common collector(31) arranged at a base element (19) of the apparatus which supports themicrochamber; said filiform microresistors (26) having a width equal toapproximately one tenth of the pitch between the same, in a directiontransverse to their longitudinal extension.
 13. An apparatus accordingto claim 9, characterized in that said means (24) for establishing saidthermal flow (F) at the optical inspection surface (8) comprise forcedventilation means (40) of the optical inspection surface (8) and,preferably, heating or cooling means (41) of the forced ventilationflow.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that itcomprises means (35) for measuring said second temperature (T2) andmeans (36;37) for actuating in feedback said means (24) for establishingsaid thermal flow (F) at the optical inspection surface (8); andpreferably means for calculating the ambient air dew point (Td). 15.Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that it compriseselectronic means (100, 101) for performing the manipulation of saidparticles (2) in said microchamber (4).